Grain drill with rod weeder

ABSTRACT

A mobile frame having grain drilling apparatus affixed thereto and an elongated rod mounted for rotation in a horizontal orientation so as to preceed the grain drill shoes but follow all wheels and the like which preceed the grain drill shoes. The rod is mounted to travel a short distance below the surface of the soil and prepare the soil for the grain drill.

United States Patent Parsons May 9, 1972 [541 GRAIN DRILL WITH RODWEEDER [72] Inventor: Billie D. Parsons, Milesville, S. Dakt 22 Filed:Dec. 22, 1969 [21] Appl. No.: 886,975

[52] U.S.Cl... ..lll/69, 172/44 [51] Int.Cl. ...A0lc7/l8,A01b39/19 [58]Field of Search ..111/69, 52; 172/44 [56] References Cited UNITED STATESPATENTS 3,033,135 5/1962 Govin ..l72/44X 3,140,678 7/1964 Morris 172/44X 3,146,740 9/1964 Phillips 172/44 X 3,340,934 9/1967 Wycoff ..172/44 XPrimary Examiner-Robert E. Pulfrey Assistant Examiner-Stephen C.Pellegrino AtmrneyMerchant & Gould [57] ABSTRACT A mobile frame havinggrain drilling apparatus affixed thereto and an elongated rod mountedfor rotation in a horizontal orientation so as to preceed the graindrill shoes but follow all wheels and the like which preceed the graindrill shoes. The rod is mounted to travel a short distance below thesurface of the soil and prepare the soil for the grain drill.

2 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEDMAY 9 I972 SHEET 1 [1F 2 Fin-3...!

' INVENTOR. N,-

MERCHANT e1, GOULD ATTORNEYS GRAIN DRILL WITH ROD WEEDER BACKGROUND OFTHE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention In the agricultural field andespecially planting and the like, it is imperative that the soil issubstantially similar in preparation and the seeds are equal in depthfor adjacent rows. If the soil in adjacent rows is prepared differentlyor if the seeds are planted at different depths, the plants growingtherefrom will be of different sizes and will break the soil atdifferent times, whereupon, one row of plants may shade the other and/ortake most of the moisture so that the one row will be stunted evenfurther or may die out completely.

2. Description of the Prior Art In the prior art, rotating rods, such asthat disclosed in Sorensen et al, U.S. Pat. No. 2,886,1 13, are utilizedfor weeding and the like. Gouin, US Pat. No. 3,033,135, discloses a rodweeder or tiller bar, which is utilized to prepare the soil above theplanted seeds. According to Gouin it is not critical where the bar ishorizontally positioned relative to the seed planting device but it mustbe approximately an inch and onehalf shallower than the seeds areplanted so that the soil thereabove is properly prepared. Each of thesedevices and all of the other prior art devices are unsatisfactory asdisclosed because the wheels of the tractor or the like pack the soilprior to the movement of the seeding device through the soil andsubsequent to the movement of the rod weeder or tiller bar through thesoil. Thus, generally at least one of the shoes of the seeding devicetravel in the path of at least one of the wheels and, consequently, theseeds from that shoe are not properly positioned in soil which isproperly prepared SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present inventionpertains to an agricultural implement including seed planting apparatushaving a plurality of shoes affixed so as to travel through the soil andan elongated bar mounted to travel through the soil in front of theshoes, subsequent to any wheels or the like passing over the soil, andat a depth approximately equal to the depth at which the seeds are beingplanted.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improvedagricultural implement of the type including a seed planting device anda rotating horizontal rod.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide anagricultural implement including a rotating horizontal rod positioned toprepare the soil for all of the shoes on a seed planting device.

These and other objects of this invention will become apparent to thoseskilled in the art upon consideration of the accompanying specification,claims and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Referring to the drawings, whereinlike characters indicate like parts throughout the figures:

FIG. 1 is a view in side elevation of the improved agriculturalimplement, portions thereof moved and shown in sectron;

FIG. 2 is a view in top plan of the implement illustrated in FIG. 1,portions thereof removed and shown in section;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view as seen from the line 33 in FIG.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view as seen from the line 44 in FIG. 3,portions thereof removed;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view as seen from the line 5-5 in FIG. 4, portionsthereof removed;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a portion of the implement;and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional view as seen from the line 7-7 in FIG.3, portions thereof removed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the figures the numeral 10generally designates a frame having two wheels 11 afiixed to the forwardend thereof and four wheels 12 affixed adjacent the rear end thereof.The wheels 11 are pivotally attached to the frame 10 so that theimplement may be conveniently turned during operation and a largernumber of wheels 12 are employed, each of which is relatively large, forpurposes of packing the soil after the operation. It should beunderstood that the frame 10 and wheels 11 and 12 are illustrated forexemplary purposes and a variety of innovations and modifications mightbe included therein.

A hopper 15 is affixed to the frame 10 in upwardly opening relationshipwith a metering device 16 rotatably mounted in an outlet openingadjacent the bottom thereof. The metering device 16 is rotated by meansof a chain 17 engaged over a sprocket affixed to the metering device 16and a sprocket 18 attached for rotation with the wheels 12. In thepresent embodiment the entire implement is illustrated as two devicesattached in side-by-side relationship to perform as a single unit. Thus,there are actually two hoppers 15 each operated by means of a chain 17engaged with a sprocket 18 affixed to different wheels 12. Throughoutthe remainder of the specification, a single unit will be described andit should be understood that the remaining unit is similar.

The metering device 16 has one end of each of a plurality of flexibleconduits 20 affixed thereto and the other end of each of the conduits 20is in communication with a shoe 21. The shoes 21 are standard shoesutilized with seed planting devices such as grain drills and the likeand need not be described further, except to point out that they have anopening therethrough constructed to place seeds beneath the soil and theshoes are further constructed to part the soil and form a trench inwhich the seeds are placed. Each of the shoes 21 has an elongated bar 22associated therewith, the rear end of the bar being bifurcated toreceive the upper portion of a shoe 21 between the branches thereof, andthe forward ends of each of the bars being pivotally attached to a plate23 which is fixedly attached to the frame 10 in a downwardly extendingorientation. Each of the bars 22 further has one end of an elongatedconnecting link 25 pivotally attached adjacent the mid section thereofand the other end of the connecting link 25 associated with each bar 22is pivotally attached to a crank arm 26. The crank arms 26 are fixedlyattached to a shaft 27, for rotation therewith. Shaft 27 is rotatablymounted above the frame 10, forward of the hopper 15 with the crank arms26 extending generally rearwardly and perpendicular thereto.

A single crank arm 30 is affixed to the shaft 27 for rotation therewithso as to extend generally vertically upwardly therefrom. A connectingarm 31 of a hydraulic cylinder generally designated 32 is pivotallyaffixed to the uppermost end of the crank arm 30 while the body of thehydraulic cylinder 32 is pivotally affixed to an upwardly extendingplate 33, which is in turn fixedly attached to the frame 10. Thehydraulic cylinder 32 is a double-acting hydraulic cylinder which causesthe crank arm 30 and attached shaft 27 to rotate in a clockwisedirection (in FIG. 1) upon application of fluid pressure to a firstinlet 34 and causes the crank arm 30 and shaft 27 to rotate in acounterclockwise direction (in FIG. 1) upon application of a fluid underpressure to a second inlet 35. Clockwise and counterclockwise rotationof the shaft 27 produces rotation of the crank arms 26 and consequentraising and lowering, respectively, of the shoes 21.

A shaft 40 is mounted for rotation adjacent the front of the frame 10 bymeans of bearings 41 affixed to the frame 10 in downwardly extendingrelationship and engaged over either end of the shaft 40. The bearings41 mount the shaft 40 for rotation somewhat below the frame 10 (as seenin FIG. 3). An elongated bar 45, having a length sufficient to extendtransversely in either direction beyond the spacing of the shoes 21, ismounted for rotation parallel with and below the shaft 40 by means ofelongated plates 46, adjacent either end thereof, and

a housing generally designated 47 near the center thereof. The plates 46and housing 47 are shaped generally similar to the shoes 21 for easymovement through the soil and to aid in protecting the various parts, aswill be explained presently. Each of the plates 46 have bearings mountedtherein adjacent the upper and lower ends for receiving the shaft 40 andbar 45 therethrough. At least the lower bearing in the plates 46 shouldbe sealed to prevent the entrance of dirt and the like therein, wincethe bearing will be positioned beneath the surface of the soil duringoperation of the implement. Thus, the bar 45 is pendulously mountedbelow the frame 10, by means of the shaft 40, plates 46 and housing 47.

The housing 47 is formed by first and second side members 50 and 51bolted together along the vertical edges thereof (see FIG. 4) to form acavity therebetween. A first sprocket 52 is fixedly attached to the bar45 for rotation therewith and a second sprocket 53 is fixedly attachedto the shaft 40 for rotation therewith. A chain 54 engaged over thesprockets 52 and 53 produces rotation of the bar 45 when the shaft 40 isrotated. The two side members 50 and 51 enclose the sprocket 52 and aremaintained in place adjacent thereto by means of scaled bearings 55engaged in the side members 50 and 51 at either side of the sprocket 52.The upper ends of the side members 50 and 51 are bolted to a cap 56,which cooperates with the side members 50 and 51 to enclose the sprocket53. The housing 47 is maintained in position relative to the sprocket 53by means of bearings 57 on either side thereof. The housing 47 isdesigned to protect the sprockets 52 and 53 and the chain 54 from dirtand the like. The shaft 40 has a sprocket 58 fixedly attached theretoadjacent the inner end and a mating sprocket is fixedly attached to themetering device 16. A chain 59 is engaged over the sprocket 58 and thesprocket affixed to the metering device 16 so that the bar 45 rotateswith the metering device 16 and the wheels 12. The speed at which thebar 45 rotates may be adjusted to any desired speed by altering theratio of the various sprockets or it may be variable by providing two ormore sprockets on any of the various shafts and providing means forshifting the chains therebetween in any of the well-known methods.

A downwardly extending crank arm 65 is fixedly attached to the shaft 27adjacent the central portion thereof, for rotation therewith. A pair ofdownwardly extending crank arms 66 are fixedly attached to the shaft 40adjacent either side of the housing 47, for rotation therewith. Twoelongated connecting links 67 are pivotally connected to the crank arm65 and the pair of crank arms 66 so that rotation of the shaft 27 andcrank arm 65 produce rotation of the crank arms 66 and shaft 40. Anelongated angle iron 70 is fixedly attached to the forward edge of thedownwardly extending crank arms 66 so as to extend generallyhorizontally parallel with and below the shaft 40. The length of theangle iron 70 is sufficient to extend outwardly in either directionsomewhat beyond the plates 46 on the shaft 40.

Two bolts 71 each having bifurcated heads are pivotally engaged with theplates 46 by positioning the plates 46 between the branches of thebifurcation and engaging bolts through transversely aligned openingsprovided therefor. The threaded shanks of the bolts 71 extend forwardlyfrom the plates 46 through an opening in the angle iron 70 andcompression springs 72 are engaged coaxially thereover and held in placeby means of washers and nuts 73. The springs 72 produce a bias on thebolts 71 between the nuts 73 and the angle iron 70 tending to pull thebolts 71 and the pivotally connected plates 46 forwardly. In a somewhatsimilar fashion a U-bolt 75 extends around the housing 47 and throughopenings provided therefor in the angle iron 70 with threaded portionsof the U- bolt 75 extending outwardly in a forward direction therefrom.A compression spring 76 is placed over each of the shanks of the U-bolt75 and maintained in place by a plate 77 and nuts 78. Each of the bolts71 and the U-bolt 75 have stops thereon so that the forward movement ofthe plates 46 and housing 47 is limited. The plates 46 and housing 47can move rearwardly and upwardly, however, against the bias of thesprings 72 and 76. T us, in the event either of the plates 46, theousing 47 or the bar 45 strike an obstruction in the soil, the entireassembly can move rearwardly and upwardly until it clears theobstruction, after which it is returned to the normal position by thebias of the springs 72 and 76.

The bar 45 is positioned at approximately the same vertical height asthe lowermost portion of the shoes 21. Thus, rotation of the bar 45,which is generally in an upper direction along the forward edge thereofor counterclockwise in FlGS. l and 4, loosens the soil, so that theshoes 21 can travel at the same vertical height, and prepares a bed forthe seeds. It should be noted that the bar 45 preceeds the shoes 21 butfollows all wheels such as wheels 11 of the implement and the wheels ofany device pulling the implement. Thus, the bar 45 prepares the soil forthe shoes 21 so that it is always uniform and unpacked by the movementof wheels or the like thereover. Further, the vertical heighth of thebar 45 is always maintained the same relative to the shoes 21, so thatactuation of the hydraulic cylinder 32 to raise or lower the shoes 41raises or lowers the bar 45. While the apparatus for raising andlowering the shoes 21 and bar 45 is specifically set forth, it should beunderstood that many modifications and alterations could be provided andthe present apparatus is simply illustrated for exemplary purposes.Further, the bar 45 is illustrated with a generally square cross sectionbut other configurations thereof might also provide the desiredfunctions.

What is claimed is:

1. An agricultural implement comprising:

a. a frame having wheels attached thereto for moving over the surface ofthe ground;

b. a hopper for containing seeds and the like mounted on said frame;

c. a plurality of shoes constructed to engage the soil and place seedstherein, said shoes being affixed to said frame for movement between aground engaging position and a raised position;

d. means affixed to said hopper and said shoes for supplying seeds andthe like from said hopper to said shoes at a desired rate;

e. an elongated bar;

f. means affixed to said frame and mounting said bar in a generallyhorizontal orientation for rotation about the longitudinal axis of saidbar, said mounting means positioning said bar in front of said pluralityof shoes so as to precede said shoes during operative movement of saidimplement and succeed any of said wheels which precede said shoes, saidmounting means further positioning said plurality of shoes and elongatedbar for travel at approxi mately the same vertical height, and saidmounting means providing for simultaneous movements of said bar and saidshoes between a ground engaging position and a raised position; and

g. power means engaged with said mounting means for rotating said bar ata predetermined speed.

2. An agricultural implement as set forth in claim 1 wherein the frameis mounted on wheels for movement over the ground and the power meansincludes drive mechanism attached for rotation with at least one of saidwheels so that movement of said implement produces rotation of the bar.

1. An agricultural implement comprising: a. a frame having wheelsattached thereto for moving over the surface of the ground; b. a hopperfor containing seeds and the like mounted on said frame; c. a pluralityof shoes constructed to engage the soil and place seeds therein, saidshoes being affixed to said frame for movement between a ground engagingposition and a raised position; d. means affixed to said hopper and saidshoes for supplying seeds and the like from said hopper to said shoes ata desired rate; e. an elongated bar; f. means affixed to said frame andmounting said bar in a generally horizontal orientation for rotationabout the longitudinal axis of said bar, said mounting means positioningsaid bar in front of said plurality of shoes so as to precede said shoesduring operative movement of said implement and succeed any of saidwheels which precede said shoes, said mounting means further positioningsaid plurality of shoes and elongated bar for travel at approximatelythe same vertical height, and said mounting means providing forsimultaneous movements of said bar and said shoes between a groundengaging position and a raised position; and g. power means engaged withsaid mounting means for rotating said bar at a predetermined speed. 2.An agricultural implement as set forth in claim 1 wherein the frame ismounted on whEels for movement over the ground and the power meansincludes drive mechanism attached for rotation with at least one of saidwheels so that movement of said implement produces rotation of the bar.